NUTS AND BOLTS ABOUT STEWARDSHIP
STEWARDSHIP IS GRATITUDE
PROPOSITION: That we would all understand that stewardship as a follower of Christ flows from an attitude of gratitude towards God and His work in our lives!
Proverbs 3:1-10 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. 3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. 8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. 9 Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
INTRODUCTION: Dr. A. L. Barry writes, “When we catch the vision of Christian stewardship that flows from a Christ-centered and Gospel-centered understanding of God’s Word, we are able to put issues of our wealth and possessions in proper perspective. They are not “ends “but “means.”They are the means by which our Lord provides for our needs and the means by which He permits us to join hands with fellow believers in supporting generously the work of the church in reaching out with the message of forgiveness, life and salvation in Christ. … Because of what Christ has done, we are called to lives of Christian stewardship—lives that reflect the glory of God. Christian stewards are privileged by God to live their lives in grateful praise and thanksgiving to God, reflecting this marvelous truth from God’s almighty Spirit-filled Word:”
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich”(2 Cor.8:9).
I. THE BELIEVER’S OBJECT IN GRATITUDE IS TO INCORPORATE GOD’S WORD – PROV. 3:1-4
A. INCORPORATING GOD’S WORD IS HEARING GOD’S WORD
1. THE WORD FORGET MEANS TO IGNORE OR WITHER
2. WHEN WE THINK OF HEARING GOD’S TEACHING, WE NEED TO THINK IN TERMS OF NEGLECT.
3. NOT HEARING IS NOT ONLY LIMITED TO THE ABSENCE OF SOMETHING, BUT ALSO THE NEGLECT OF REFUSING TO DEAL WITH WHAT WE HEAR.
4. IN EFFECT WE ARE IGNORING WHAT WE HAVE HEARD
5. IN EFFECT WE ARE ALLOWING WHAT WE HAVE HEARD TO WITHER OR DIE!
Job 8:11-13 Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds thrive without water? 12 While still growing and uncut, they wither more quickly than grass. 13 Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless.
a. TO FORGET (NOT HEAR, REFUSE TO HEAR) THE WORD OF GOD HAS A PROFOUND EFFECT ON OUR SPIRITUAL CONDITION
b. IT HAS THE SAME AFFECT ON US AS THOUGH WE WERE AS THE UNGODLY
c. NOT IN REALITY, BUT IN PERCEPTION
NOW I KNOW THAT NO ONE WHO CALL CHRIST HIS SAVIOR AND LORD WANTS TO ACT AND LOOK LIKE THOSE WHO DO NOT, BUT WHEN WE DO NOT HEAD TO THE WORD OF GOD WE ARE PERCEIVED BY THOSE AROUND US AS NO DIFFERENT THAT THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS SAVIOR.
IS THAT REALLY THE KIND OF BELIEVER YOU WANT TO BE – CARNAL, AND WORLDLY LOOKING.
Romans 8:7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.
The context is Paul speaking to believers about the Holy Spirit and warning them as to their activity.
B. INCORPORATING GOD’S WORD IS ACCEPTING GOD’S WORD
1. WE ARE TO BIND THEM ON AROUND OUR NECK FOR THE TEACHING OF GOD IS AN EXPRESSION OF HIS LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS TO US.
2. THINGS WE BIND AROUND OUR NECK
a. THINGS THAT ARE PRECIOUS TO US
b. THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US
C. INCORPORATING GOD’S WORD IS ENGRAVING GOD’S WORD
1. ON THE HEART
2. PERMANENCE
3. WHERE THEY WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHANGE A MAN FROM THE INSIDE OUT, NOT JUST RESTRAIN HIS ACTION FROM THE OUTSIDE IN!
II. THE BELIEVER’S TRIAL IN GRATITUDE IS TO TRUST – PROV. 3:5-7
A. TRUST GOD WITH ALL OUR HEART
1. WHERE MY INTELLIGENCE AND DISCERNMENT LIES
2. GOD IS COMPLETELY TRUSTWORTHY – HE CANNOT GO AGAINST HIS NATURE!
B. PROPPING OURSELVES UP WITH OURSELVES
1. THE INTENT OF LEANING ON OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING
2. WISE IN OUR OWN EYES
3. IT IS LIKE TRYING TO BE TWO PLACES AT THE SAME TIME – THE THING BEING PROPPED AND THE THING DOING THE PROPPING
James 1:8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
James 4:8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
a. A DOUBLE-MINDED MAN IS UNSTABLE
b. A DOUBLE-MINDED BELIEVER IS UNSTABLE IN HIS WALK WITH THE LORD AND ABILITY TO BE A GOOD STEWARD.
c. DOUBLE-MINDEDNESS IN AKIN TO SIN
WHEN WE TRY TO LEAN ON OURSELVES WE FACE AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK – A SINFUL TASK. THE VITAL PART OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS TO TRUST GOD AND LEAN ON HIM.
C. MAKING OUR PATHS STRAIGHT
1. ACCOMPLISHED BY ACKNOWLEDGING GOD
2. GOD REMOVES THE OBSTACLES
3. MAKING A SMOOTH PATH OR WAY OF LIFE
4. BRINGING ONE TO THE APPOINTED GOAL
THE GOAL IS TO BE A GRATEFUL STEWARD. STEWARDSHIP WITH OUT GRATITUDE IS SLAVERY! WE WERE SLAVE TO SIN. IN CHRIST WE ARE FREE TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE!
III. THE BELIEVER’S BENEFIT IN GRATITUDE – PROV. 3:8
A. HEALTH TO YOUR BODY
1. BODY = NAVEL
2. THE NAVEL IS THE POINT OF NOURISHMENT FOR INFANTS
B. NOURISHMENT FOR YOUR BONES
1. BONES = MARROW
2. MARROW RESTORES THE BODY, REJUVENATES THE BLOOD, AND PROTECTS FROM INFECTION
C. THE WRITER OF MAKING THE POINT THAT OUR TRUSTING IN GOD AND BOOTH ACCEPTING AND ENGRAVING HIS TEACHING ON OUR HEART IS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR SPIRITUAL HEALTH AS BELIEVERS.
THE RESULT OF ALL THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD BE THE EXPRESSION OF OUR GRATITUDE TOWARDS GOD. LETS TAKE A LOOK AT ALL WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR:
Proverbs 3:1-10 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. 3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. 8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. 9 Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
IV. THE BELIEVER’S EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE – PROV. 3:9-10
A. HONOR GOD
1. GIVE HIM GLORY
2. WEIGH DOWN
3. ALMOST AS THOUGH THE WRITER IS SAYING MAKE YOUR GRATITUDE TO GOD CONSIST OF SOMETHING.
a. THE WIDOWS MIGHT – MEANT SOMETHING TO HER
b. THE THREE MIGHTY MEN OF DAVID IN 2 SAMUEL 23 WHO BROKE THROUGH THE PHILISTINE LINES IN ORDER TO BRING A DRINK FROM THE WELL OF BETHLEHEM FOR DAVID
c. THE APOSTLE PAUL WHO PROCLAIMED IN 2 TIMOTHY THAT HE HAD RUN THE RACE AND COMPLETED THE COURSE.
d. THOUGH OTHERS MAY HAVE HAD DIFFERENT OPINIONS AS TO WHY EACH OF THESE PEOPLE DID WHAT THEY DID, THEY DID WHAT THEY DID OUT OF HONOR AND GRATITUDE
B. GRATITUDE OFFERING
1. THE OFFERING OF FIRSTFRUITS WAS BASED ON GOD’S FAITHFULNESS AND PROVISION
Deuteronomy 26:1-3 When you have entered the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, 2 take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the Lord your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name
3 and say to the priest in office at the time, "I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the land the Lord swore to our forefathers to give us."
Deuteronomy 26:18-19 And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. 19 He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised.
2. WE ARE TO BE GRATEFUL STEWARDS OF WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO US.
3. IT IS GOD WHO HAS ESTABLISHED YOU IN YOUR “LAND”
4. IT IS GOD WHO SAYS TO YOU THAT HE HAS KEPT HIS PROMISE
5. IT IS GOD WHO PAID THE PENALTY FOR OUR SIN AND PROVIDES US ALL THAT WE NEED TO LIVE ABUNDANTLY TILL HE COMES
STEWARDSHIP IS AN EXPRESSION OF OUR GRATITUDE TO GOD FOR HIS FAITHFULNESS IN OUR LIVES. IT IS NOT AN OBLIGATION BUT AN ACT OF LOVE!
AS YOU ARE CHALLENGED THESE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS TO BE A STEWARD FOR GOD WITH ALL THAT HE HAS GIVEN YOU, FIRST AND FOREMOST KEEP IN MIND THAT STEWARDSHIP IS A VISIBLE EXPRESSION OF MY GRATITUDE TOWARDS GOD
Galatians 1:10 (NIV) Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
